Hermione's Sacrifice
by Ely-Baby
Summary: [One-shot.] Harry doesn't have the protection of his mother's love anymore. Now, only the ultimate sacrifice of someone else will save him in the last fight against Voldemort. R


Disclaimer: Naturally, I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: I came up with this idea in about fifteen minutes after I read what J.K. Rowling said about Hermione, and it took me almost an hour for writing it. I love this fan fiction, I really hope that you'll love it too, it's what I would like to see at the end of the seventh book (I just wanted to remember to you all that Hermione is my favourite character). By the way, if you think that you have already read this fan-fiction, it's because I've originally posted it on Mugglenet. Oh well, since it's a one-shot I think that I should already thank all the people that are going to read this and all the people that will leave a review. I hope you'll like it.

To Halo of Darkness: Thanks a lot for your work, you are really nice. A wonderful beta-reader, a great friend.

"_Hermione is the most brilliant of the three and they need her. Harry needs her badly." _– J.K. Rowling (June 30, 2000)

**Hermione's Sacrifice**

Harry stopped in front of the broken gate and looked at the house. The moon in that August night lit up almost everything.

"Harry," Hermione appeared at his side, "Harry, is this it?" she asked, looking at the ruined house, as well.

Harry nodded. "Where's Ron?"

"I'm here," said Ron, appearing from behind a tree, "Bloody hell, Harry, this place is creepy."

"I know."

"Are you sure that that is the house that you saw last night in your dream?"

"I'm sure, Ron."

"It must be it," said Hermione, leaning down to look at the mailbox, "There's his name here." Harry walked closer to her and looked at the box where the name 'Riddle' was barely visible.

"We are near," said Harry, pulling the gate open.

Hermione held his arm. "Harry, isn't better if we come here tomorrow morning? The moon is full tonight," she said, glancing at the sky with a fearful look.

Harry freed himself from her seize. "You don't have to come if you don't want," he said, rudely, "And you too, Ron."

Hermione gulped. "N-no, I'm coming."

"Me, too," said Ron, quickly. Harry made his way between the roots and the rocks that emerged from the grass with his wand raised in front of him. "Look, the door is open," remarked Ron when they reached the front of the house.

Harry smiled. "He feels safe in his little shelter, doesn't he?"

"Harry, I don't like it," whispered Hermione, "It's too easy."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Stop it, Hermione. I don't like it either but Voldemort is here and tonight, I'm gonna kill him." Harry stepped inside the house. It looked like nobody had been living there for several years. The furniture was covered with old sheets and dust was everywhere. "This way," Harry led the group towards the stairs but he just passed by them and reached the wall on the other side of the hall. He stretched out his wand arm and moved away a piece of tapestry that hung half-broken on the wall, revealing a door under it. "It's locked," he said calmly after he had tried to open it. Harry pointed his wand at it and whispered the Alohomora spell. The door opened with a sinister creaking.

"Harry, look," said Hermione, grabbing his arm and nodding towards the floor where there was no dust. "Somebody has been here recently."

"I know that, Hermione, I saw that in my dream last night, remember that?" he asked rudely.

"I know, but it looks like someone has just been here," she said, weakly.

"The Death Eaters went out for the attack at the Ministry of Magic, Hermione, we have alerted Scrimgeur," said Harry, becoming impatient.

"Harry, there's something wrong," she said, lowering her eyes. "It was too easy. It's a full moon and no werewolves attacked us, and you know that Fenrir Greyback is always where Voldemort is. Plus, there is nobody here and not even a charm for protecting the place."

"Hermione, do you think that it's a trap?" asked Ron, paling.

"It's not," said Harry, harshly. "I told you. Everybody is out and Voldemort is here alone. I saw that."

"Like you saw Sirius in the Department of Mystery?" asked Ron, looking everywhere but at Harry, who couldn't believe that Ron had just thrown Sirius' death in his face in a moment like this.

"How can you say something like that?" he asked feeling his anger raising.

"Well, if that time you would have listened to Hermione and wouldn't have gone there, that would never have happened," said Ron, biting his lips.

Hermione blushed but nobody noticed in the darkness of the night.

"Are you saying that Sirius' death is my fault?"

"I didn't say that," protested Ron.

"You did," snapped Harry.

"Harry. Ron. Look." Hermione took a step towards the door and muttered, 'Lumus.' The light from her wand showed a long low-ceiling corridor dug into the bare rock. The walls and the floor covered with water. It looked like it led downhill.

"Oh yes," said Harry, touching the stone. "I remember this place. We are almost there." He stepped in front of Hermione and lighted up his wand, too. "If you want to go back, you still have time," he said sharply. "I'll go this way."

Hermione and Ron exchanged scared looks, but followed him in the corridor without a further word. They walked there for what seemed ages; sometimes a spider or a small snake crossed their path, but nothing serious happened. It was all quiet. Too quiet.

"Harry, are you sure you saw this place? There's nothing here," said Hermione with a trembling voice.

"I'm sure. There was a door somewhere – here, look!" He stopped so abruptly that Hermione knocked on his back and fell on the floor. Ron leaned down to help her.

"Are you ok?" he asked her, concerned. Hermione nodded while Ron helped her brush away the dirt from her jeans.

"Harry, what's gonna be on the other side?" asked Ron.

Harry touched the door, but he pulled away his hand away almost immediately and brought it to his forehead letting out a small cry of pain.

"Harry!" Hermione rushed to his side. "Does your scar hurt you?"

"It's nothing," he said hastily. "That means that we are near." He pointed his wand towards the door and said the Alohomora spell for the second time that night. The door opened slightly. A small light came from inside. Both Harry and Hermione muttered 'Nox' and their wands turned off. Harry pushed the door with his wand and opened it completely. Behind him, Hermione searched for Ron's hand in the dark and when she found it, she squeezed it tightly.

When Harry stepped through the door and glanced all over the circular room, his heart skipped a beat. The room was full of Death Eaters and, apparently, they were waiting for them.

"Harry Potter," someone hissed. Harry followed the hiss. Voldemort was looking at him with his snake-like face and his red eyes. He sat on a chair, Peter Pettigrew at his right, Bellatrix at his left. He was smiling which was not a good sign.

"Harry Potter and his fellow sidekicks," said a familiar voice near Bellatrix. Harry glared at the smirking face of Draco Malfoy.

"Harry Potter," repeated Voldemort, "I really thought that you would never fall in the same trap twice, but it looks like you are not as intelligent as everybody expected." The Death Eaters burst into laughter, Harry felt his anger rising again. Voldemort glanced at Ron and Hermione. "And you also brought your friends. Are they ready to die with you?"

"We are going to die for him, if it's necessary." Everybody stared at Hermione who was bravely glancing back at Voldemort.

"Hermione," whispered Harry, sheepishly.

Voldemort sniffed the air like a dog and then laughed evilly. "Oh yes. I can feel this. I didn't know what it was, but I've done research and I've learned a lot about it." Harry, and all the other people in the room, looked at him puzzled. "Love," explained Voldemort, "That horrible word. That terrible and useless feeling, but such a powerful thing. So powerful to fight the Unforgivable Curses. But now," Voldemort looked at Harry evilly, "You are seventeen, Harry Potter, and the protection of your Mudblood mother is not on you anymore. There's nothing that will protect you this time."

Harry gulped. "And there's nothing that will protect you as well, because we have destroyed all your Horcruxes," he said, forcefully.

"I know that," said Voldemort, calmly, "But I don't mind. Tonight, I'm going to kill at least three people, so I'll create three new Horcruxes before the sun will rise." Ron squeezed Hermione's hand.

"Can I have the girl's head?" asked Malfoy, smirking.

Voldemort stood up from the chair. "We'll see, Draco," he said, firmly. "Now everybody get out." All the Death Eaters turned their heads towards the Dark Lord.

"But sir, if I can speak I would rather-"

"You can't speak, Snape." Harry jerked his head so quickly towards Snape that he thought that his neck was going to break. Snape was near Wormtail and Harry noticed with great pleasure that he looked concerned with leaving Voldemort with three teenaged wizards.

"I won't say that twice. Everybody out," screamed Voldemort, pulling out his wand.

"Do we have to take the boy and the girl with us?" asked Bellatrix with a glimpse of madness in her eyes as she looked at Ron.

"No, they are mine as well, didn't you hear me? I need more Horcruxes," hissed Voldemort, knowing that Bellatrix would have surely killed both of them for her own pleasure. Noiselessly, the Death Eaters left the circular room, exiting through the door where Harry, Ron and Hermione had come in.

When Malfoy passed by Hermione, he pushed her away and said in a singing voice, "I'll have your head." Hermione restrained Ron who was pulling out his wand and pointing it at Malfoy. When the last Death Eater left the room, Voldemort sealed it with his wand. Then he looked at Harry.

"Ah, Harry Potter, how long I've waited for this moment," he said, pointing his wand at Harry's chest. "But first…" He moved his wand away from Harry and pointed it at Ron and Hermione. "Evertestatis."

They flew through the air, crashed against the wall on the other side of the room, and fell to the floor in between screams of pain.

"Hermione! Ron!" Harry sprinted towards them.

"Stay where you are, boy, or I'll kill them," hissed Voldemort. "I just didn't want them to stand between us."

Harry stopped dead in his tracks, but he kept on looking at his friends; Hermione was trying to stand up. She pressed a hand to her stomach and moaned. Probably a couple of her ribs were broken. When she finally got on her feet, she helped Ron stand up as well. They leaned against the wall and looked at Harry with looks of fear, their wands several feet away from where they were. Ron clutched Hermione's hand until his knuckles became white.

"Don't worry, Harry Potter, you won't see your friends die. They'll see your death, though. I've waited too long and I want to kill you first," said Voldemort with a creepy laugh. He pointed his wand towards Harry's heart. He wasn't very close, but there was no way that he could have missed him. Harry took a step back and felt himself back up into a wall.

And then, time seemed to stop.

Voldemort smiled while he screamed the Avada Kedavra curse, he thought that that night, he would have destroyed the legend of Harry Potter forever.

Harry closed his eyes. He knew that it was all his fault; Hermione and Ron were going to die because of him. He owed Hermione a thousand excuses.

Ron held Hermione's hand. He couldn't believe that Harry would have died, but he knew that he would have protected Hermione with his own life if it was necessary.

Hermione freed herself from Ron and for the first time in her life, she didn't think anything at all. She ran towards Harry and hugged him tightly, standing between him and Voldemort.

Feeling the pressure of her body against his, Harry opened his eyes.

The last thing that Hermione heard was her name, screamed by Harry.

Then the curse hit her from behind.

She felt a piercing pain that, from her spine, spread through every ounce of her body.

And then darkness.

Harry caught her body before it fell onto the ground. Ron slid against the wall and sat on the floor. His mouth opened and his eyes fixed on Hermione in Harry's arms, unable to speak. Harry slowly laid down Hermione's corpse and kneeled next to her. Her face was pale and she was as cold as ice. Harry's head hurt him to death, but not because of Voldemort.

Hermione was dead. And it was all his fault.

An inhuman scream broke the silence and snapped Harry out of his thoughts. He raised his eyes and glanced at Voldemort. He was sure that he would have found the Dark Lord smiling, so when he noticed the angry expression on his face, he was taken back. Voldemort looked simply furious. "Tell me, Potter," he hissed, "Why all this Mudbloods are so keen on giving up their lives for you?" Harry stood up and felt something hot running down his cheek. A tear. "Snape told me that that Mudblood was damn intelligent, but I have to say that I underestimated her," the Dark Lord hissed, his eyes flashing with anger. "She was full of love and now you are under her protection."

Harry took a while for understanding what Voldemort was talking about. But then he realized that he was right. Hermione did the same thing that his mother had done for him. He was under the protection of love once again.

He raised his wand towards Voldemort. "Kill me," he said with a murderous glare.

Voldemort glared at him. "Do you really think that I'm so stupid, Potter? You would destroy me if I used my wand on you," hissed Voldemort.

"Then I will kill you," screamed Harry. "Avada Kedavra."

Voldemort Disapparated and Harry's curse hit the wall. He looked around himself with his wand raised. The Dark Lord Apparated behind him, and crushed his skinny, white hands around his throat. Harry let his wand go and brought both his hands to his neck, floundering for some air.

"But I should be safe if I kill you with my bare hands," he said, raising Harry from the ground.

But he was wrong. While he tightened his grip around Harry's neck, his hands set on fire. Voldemort let Harry go and looked horrified at his burned hands which fell on the floor. Harry fell near Hermione. He coughed and mechanically brought his hands again to his neck. His skin was all burned. He tried to stand up, but Voldemort put his foot on his chest, holding Harry down.

Harry felt some of his ribs breaking under the pressure of Voldemort's foot. He felt his energy leaving him. He turned his head and his eyes fell on Hermione's body. Her sacrifice was in vain.

Harry closed his eyes. The air didn't even arrive to his lungs anymore. He had given up all his hopes when he felt the pressure decreasing. With a great effort, he opened his eyes again and looked at his chest where Voldemort's foot was aflame. Voldemort stepped back. Harry looked at his chest that was covered with burns.

"You will be lucky, Harry Potter," said Voldemort, glaring at him dangerously. "But this time, if I die, you will die with me," he almost screamed and threw his body on top of Harry.

The last thing that Harry remembered was Ron trying to move away Voldemort's burning body from him. Then he fell on Harry's side.

Harry fainted a second later.

---

The first thing that Harry did when he opened his eyes was look around him. He wasn't wearing his glasses, but he could see perfectly well. He lay on a bed with warm, soft sheets on it. On his right, there was a small bedside table with some flowers on it, and on his left, there was an empty chair. That was all the furniture in the room. Strangely, he couldn't see the walls at his right and left because there was a blinding light that came from both sides. But in front of him, there was a window that showed a view of Hogwarts castle.

"Finally, you woke up, Harry. I thought you would have gone on sleeping forever." Harry turned his head to his left. Hermione was sitting on the previously empty chair. She was wearing her school robes and smiled warmly.

"Hermione," said Harry, trying to sit up on the bed. "Hermione, what happened? I can't remember anything."

"Harry, I'm so proud of you, you defeated Voldemort," she said, taking his hand between hers.

"D-did I?" he asked, rubbing his head.

Hermione nodded. "Oh, yes. You have been so brave. And now he's gone, forever," she smiled again.

Harry smiled back. "Where are we?" he asked, looking around.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "Nowhere and everywhere."

Harry looked at her puzzled. "But that's Hogwarts, isn't it?" he asked, looking out of the window. "And it's near."

"Oh, Harry, it's nearer than you think," she said, softly.

"Where is Ron?" asked Harry.

"He is fine and he's waiting for you," she said.

"Waiting for me?" Hermione nodded.

"_Harry!"_

Harry looked around. It wasn't Hermione who spoke.

"_Harry!"_

Someone was calling his name.

Hermione raised her eyes and smiled. "Looks like Ginny is calling you," she said, sweetly.

"Ginny? Where is she?"

Hermione ignored him and stood up. "I have to go, Harry."

"Go? Where?" he asked, squeezing her hand. Hermione smiled again. "Hermione, don't leave me. I don't even remember what happened." Hermione leaned down and kissed his forehead. As soon as her lips touched his skin, he felt peaceful and serene. He let go of her hand and lay back on the bed.

She looked at him. "You will remember, Harry. You have all your life to remember." She started to walk away towards the light.

"Hermione, don't leave me here alone," whispered Harry. He would have jumped out of the bed and followed her, but his legs were terribly heavy.

"You won't be alone, Harry," she said, before her figure was swallowed by the light.

"_Harry!"_

"G-Ginny?" he called, uncertainly. Slowly, the room went out of focus. He felt the bed under his body disappearing and started to fall gently, like a feather blown by the wind. He closed his eyes as he landed on something soft.

"Harry!"

He tried to open his eyes again, but this time it took him great effort. When he finally managed to raise his eyelids, he became aware that every inch of his body was crossed with pain. He wasn't wearing his glasses, and this time he couldn't see anything.

"Harry! Harry!" a girl threw her arms around his neck.

"Miss. Weasley, please let him go, he is too weak," said Madam Pomfrey.

Ginny let him go and looked at him. "Harry, how do you feel?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but no sound exited. His throat was burning. He touched his neck and found that it was covered with scabs.

"Oh, Harry, don't touch your wounds, it's not hygienic," Ginny chastised, pulling away his hands gently.

"Miss. Weasley, I think that you should owl your parents. I understood that they wanted to be alerted when Mr. Potter woke up," said Madam Pomfrey.

Ginny nodded. "I'll be right back, Harry," she said, kissing him on his cheek before she hurried out of the Hospital Wing.

"Mr. Potter, do you need something? Maybe some water?" asked Madam Pomfrey, after Ginny left.

Harry nodded. Madam Pomfrey sat down next to him and helped him drink some water. Harry coughed a couple of times, but the water was fresh and gave relief to his burning throat. Then, Harry gestured for his glasses and Madam Pomfrey passed them to him.

At that very moment, Ginny came back and this time she was not alone. Luna and Neville were with her.

"Hi, Harry," said Luna dreamily. Neville tried to hide the horrified look on his face while he was looking at Harry's neck but he didn't really succeed. He smiled weakly at Harry.

"Ron, Hermi-nee," tried to say Harry.

"Ron is fine, Harry," said Ginny, smiling and sitting down on the bed next to him. "He was shocked when they found him, but now he is feeling better. He doesn't speak, though, but he's gonna come with Mum and Dad. You'll see him soon."

Harry nodded. "Hermi-nee?"

Ginny looked at Neville and Luna, who quickly lowered their eyes.

Harry put a hand on Ginny's arm and cleared his throat. "Ginny, where is Hermione?" he asked, hoarsely. He felt like his lungs were going to burst.

"Harry, don't you remember what happened the night that you defeated Voldemort?" she asked him softly.

Harry tried to think hard. "I-I don't know, my head hurts me so much," he said, touching his temples.

Ginny lowered her eyes. Harry saw a tear fall down from her cheek and fell on his hand.

"G-Ginny?" he called her.

"Harry, Hermione is dead," she said, trying to hold back the tears.

Harry looked at her. "No, no," he said, pushing Ginny away, "I-I saw her."

Ginny wept away the tears. "Harry, you can't have seen her. She is dead."

"No," said Harry, agitatedly, "I saw her. S-she was talking to me."

Ginny held his hand. "Harry, she is dead. Her funeral was three weeks ago."

Harry looked at her amazed. "Three weeks ago?"

Ginny nodded, miserably. "You have been unconscious for almost a month. Since that night."

Harry closed his eyes and tried to think of Hermione's face. She was smiling at him. She was talking to him. "You will remember, Harry." At that very moment, a piercing pain went through his brain and as soon as he remembered, he would have given everything to forget.

Hermione was dead. And it was his fault entirely. He didn't listen to her and she gave up her life for his. His throat started to be terribly heavy.

"Harry! Oh, Harry!" Mrs. Weasley hurried to him and kissed him on his forehead. "Harry, I'm so glad that you finally regained consciousness."

"Harry, how do you feel?" asked Mr. Weasley, patting his arm.

Harry looked at them without answering. "Where is Ron?" he asked, hoarsely.

"Oh, he's over there, dear. Ron, come in, Harry wants to see you," said Mrs. Weasley, turning her head towards the door.

When Harry saw Ron, he felt the urge to cry. He was pale and skinny, like he hadn't eaten for several days. Shadows underneath his eyes didn't hide the fact that he wasn't sleeping at night.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but, again, no sound exited. Ron looked at him and then lowered his eyes.

Harry glanced at Mrs. Weasley. "Can I talk to him, alone?" he asked, softly.

Mrs. Weasley looked at Madam Pomfrey who sighed, but nodded.

"He has not spoken since the night that they found you two, Harry, I don't know if he will talk to you," she said, sitting up.

Everybody headed towards the door. Ginny kissed Harry again on his cheek before she left.

"If you need me, I'll be over there," said Madam Pomfrey, sweetly.

Harry nodded and looked at Ron who kept his eyes fixated on the floor. When Madam Pomfrey also exited the Hospital Wing, he moved towards Harry's bed and sat down next to him.

"I don't speak because I don't want to talk about that night," said Ron, causing Harry to look at him in amazement. "Everybody keeps on asking me about everything, but I've never answered. I'm not ready, not yet." He looked out of the window. Naturally, Ron was waiting for Harry to say something, but Harry couldn't think anything intelligent to say. Ron looked back at him. "How do you feel?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I've been worse."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "When?"

Harry smiled weakly. "I don't know." Ron smiled back. "Ron, listen, I-I'm sorry," started Harry, hoarsely, "If I would have listened to Hermione, she wouldn't be…" Harry's voice died in his throat as the thought of her crossed his brain.

Ron looked at him as if he would have expected those words from Harry. "It's not your fault, Harry. Don't think that even for a second, Hermione knew what she was going to do."

Harry looked at his hands. "It was her who destroyed Voldemort, not me," he whispered.

"She wouldn't want you to say that," said Ron. Then he looked at him and smiled weakly. "They buried her in a nice place, under a tree, near Dumbledore. She has a white tomb as well and the inscription on it is beautiful. Do you want to hear it? I know it by heart." Harry nodded, and while he listened to him, the lump in his throat became so huge that it hurt him badly. Ron cleared his throat. "Hermione Jane Granger. Brave girl, beloved friend. Helped Harry Potter in saving the world," he said, his voice shaking.

Harry looked at him. "Ron, will you bring me there?"

Ron sniffled. "When you'll feel better, I'll bring you there. I swear."

"Ron, I have to tell you something, but you have to believe me." Ron looked at him and nodded. "I saw Hermione, before I woke up. I'm sure it wasn't a dream. I saw her and she looked happy."

Ron smiled and lowered his eyes. "Harry, I believe you." He stood up. "I have to go now," he said, looking out of the window.

"Where are you going?" asked Harry, calmly.

"I want to visit her grave before it gets dark and I want to pick up some flowers for her," he said, starting to move towards the door. When he reached it, he looked like he remembered something and turned his head towards Harry. "You know what I was thinking? That between all the days that you could have come to consciousness, you woke up exactly today. That's so extraordinary."

Harry looked at him without understanding. "Why?"

"Because it's the 19th of September today," said Ron, disappearing out of the door.

Harry stared the door for a long time before taking off his glasses and putting them on the bedside table. Then, he lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and, finally, started to cry.

- The End -


End file.
